NATO stresses Jordan’s ‘key role’ in achieving regional stability in meeting with King

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah on Wednesday met with the NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and members of the NATO council in Brussels, according to a Royal Court statement. 

During the meeting, Stoltenberg and members of the NATO council stressed the need to strengthen cooperation with Jordan, which, they said, constitutes a key pillar in achieving stability in the region.

They also stressed that Jordan, under the leadership of His Majesty the King, plays a leading role in enhancing regional stability and countering terrorism and extremism, pointing out the importance of the Aqaba meetings in this regard, the statement added. 

The NATO officials also pointed out the advanced partnership between the Kingdom and the alliance, which considers Jordan to be “a valuable friend in the Middle East”. 

The officials affirmed their continued keenness on hearing His Majesty’s perspectives on regional circumstances.

During His Majesty’s meeting with Stoltenberg, which was held at the NATO’s headquarters and attended by HRH Prince Abdullah Bin Ghazi, King Abdullah and Stoltenberg discussed cooperation and partnership relations between Jordan and NATO in the military and training fields, as well as means of building on joint agreements, especially the bilateral cooperation and partnership programme related to expanding the Kingdom’s defence capabilities.

The King voiced his appreciation for NATO’s participation in the Aqaba meetings, stressing the importance of continuing the coordination of international efforts in the war on terror within a holistic strategy, according to the statement.

In another meeting with the members of the NATO council, in the presence of Stoltenberg, the King and council members reviewed mutual cooperation in the military and training fields, as well as a number of regional issues.

The meeting also tackled the peace process, as King Abdullah underlined the need to upscale efforts to end the Palestinian-Israeli conflict on the basis of a two-state solution, leading to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, the statement said. 

Regarding the Syrian crisis, participants stressed the need for reaching a political solution to the conflict, that safeguards the territorial and social unity of the neighbouring country, while reiterating the need for the international community to shoulder its responsibility towards the Syrian refugees.

The meeting was attended by the Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi and the Jordan’s Ambassador in Belgium Yousef Bataineh.